warning CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE 2008 3.G Owners Manual

CAUTION!
Only vehicles with the E-85 fuel filler door label can
operate on E-85.
ETHANOL FUEL (E-85)
E-85 is a mixture of approximately 85% fuel ethanol and
15% unleaded gasoline.
WARNING!
Ethanol vapors are extremely flammable and could
cause serious personal injury. Never have any smok-
ing materials lit in or near the vehicle when remov-
ing the fuel filler tube cap (gas cap) or filling the
tank. Do not use E-85 as a cleaning agent and never
use it near an open flame.
Fuel Requirements
Your vehicle will operate on both unleaded gasoline with
an octane rating of 87, or E-85 fuel, or any mixture of
these two.
E-85 Badge
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5

WARNING!
²Never have any smoking materials lit in or near
the vehicle when the gas cap is removed or the
tank filled.
²Never add fuel when the engine is running. This is
in violation of most state and federal fire regula-
tions and doing so will cause the malfunction
indicator light to turn on.
²A fire may result if gasoline is pumped into a
portable container that is inside of a vehicle. You
could be burned. Always place gas containers on
the ground while filling.
NOTE:
²Tighten the gas cap until you hear a ªclickingº sound.
This is an indication that the gas cap is tightenedproperly. The Malfunction Indicator Light in the in-
strument cluster may turn on if the gas cap is not
secured properly. Make sure that the gas cap is tight-
ened each time the vehicle is refueled.
²When the fuel nozzle ªclicksº or shuts off, the fuel
tank is full.
Loose Fuel Filler Cap Message
If the vehicle diagnostic system determines that the fuel
filler cap in loose, improperly installed, or damaged, a
ªgASCAPº message will display in the instrument clus-
ter. Tighten the gas cap until a ªclickingº sound is heard.
This is an indication that the gas cap is properly tight-
ened. Press the trip odometer reset button to turn off the
message. If the problem persists, the message will appear
the next time the vehicle is started. This might indicate a
damaged cap. If the problem is detected twice in a row,
the system will turn on the Malfunction Indicator Light
(MIL). Resolving the problem will turn the MIL light off.
318 STARTING AND OPERATING

Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)
The GAWR is the maximum capacity of the front and rear
axles. Distribute the load over the front and rear axles
evenly. Make sure that you do not exceed either front or
rear GAWR.
WARNING!
Because the front wheels steer the vehicle, it is
important that you do not exceed the maximum front
or rear GAWR. A dangerous driving condition can
result if either rating is exceeded. You could lose
control of the vehicle and have an accident.
Overloading
The load carrying components (axle, springs, tires,
wheels, etc.) of your vehicle will provide satisfactory
service as long as you do not exceed the GVWR and front
and rear GAWR.
The best way to figure out the total weight of your
vehicle is to weigh it when it is fully loaded and ready for
operation. Weigh it on a commercial scale to insure that it
is not over the GVWR.
Figure out the weight on the front and rear of the vehicle
separately. It is important that you distribute the load
evenly over the front and rear axles.
Overloading can cause potential safety hazards and
shorten useful service life. Heavier axles or suspension
components do not necessarily increase the vehicle's
GVWR.
320 STARTING AND OPERATING

weighed in combination. (Note that GCWR ratings in-
clude a 150 lbs (68 kg) allowance for the presence of a
driver).
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)
The Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) is the maximum
capacity of the front and rear axles. Distribute the load
over the front and rear axles evenly. Make sure that you
do not exceed either front or rear GAWR.
WARNING!
It is important that you do not exceed the maximum
front or rear GAWR. A dangerous driving condition
can result if either rating is exceeded. You could lose
control of the vehicle and have an accident.
Tongue Weight (TW)
Tongue Weight (TW) is the downward force exerted on
the hitch ball by the trailer. In most cases it should not be
less than or more than 10% of the trailer load. You must
consider this as part of the load on your vehicle.
Frontal Area
Frontal Area is the maximum height and maximum
width of the front of a trailer and its cargo.
Weight-Carrying Hitch
A weight-carrying hitch supports the trailer tongue
weight, just as if it were luggage located at a hitch ball or
some other connecting point of the truck. These kinds of
hitches are the most popular on the market today and
they're commonly used to tow small- and medium-sized
trailers.
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5

WARNING!
Improper towing can lead to an injury accident.
Follow these guidelines to make your trailer towing
as safe as possible:
Make certain that the load is secured in the trailer
and that it will not shift during travel. When traile-
ring cargo that is not fully secured, dynamic load
shifts can occur that may be difficult for the driver to
control. You could lose control of your vehicle and
have an accident.
²When hauling cargo, or towing a trailer, do not
overload your vehicle or trailer. Overloading can cause
a loss of control, poor performance, or damage to
brakes, axle, engine, transaxle, steering, suspension,
chassis structure, or tires.
²Safety chains must always be used between your
vehicle and trailer. Always connect the chains to the
frame or hook retainers of the vehicle hitch. Cross the
chains under the trailer tongue and allow enough
slack for turning corners.
²Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a grade.
When parking, apply the parking brake on the tow
vehicle. Put the tow vehicle automatic transaxle in P
for Park. Always, block or9chock9the trailer wheels.
²GCWR must not be exceeded.
²Total weight must be distributed between the tow
vehicle and the trailer such that the following four
ratings are not exceeded:
1. GVWR
2. GTW
3. GAWR
328 STARTING AND OPERATING

þTrailer brakes are recommended for trailers over 1,000
lbs (450 kg) and required for trailers in excess of 2,000
lbs (907 kg).
CAUTION!
If the trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs (450 kg)
loaded, it should have its own brakes, and they
should be of adequate capacity. Failure to do this
could lead to accelerated brake lining wear, higher
brake pedal effort, and longer stopping distances.
WARNING!
Do not connect trailer brakes to your vehicle's hy-
draulic brake lines. It can overload your brake sys-
tem and cause it to fail. You might not have brakes
when you need them and could have an accident.
Towing any trailer will increase your stopping dis-
tance. When towing, you should allow for additional
space between your vehicle and the vehicle in front
of you. Failure to do so could result in an accident.
Towing Requirements Ð Trailer Lights & Wiring
Whenever you pull a trailer, regardless of the trailer size,
stoplights and turn signals on the trailer are required for
motoring safety.
330 STARTING AND OPERATING

WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES
CONTENTS
mHazard Warning Flasher..................336
mIf Your Engine Overheats.................336
NEngine Oil Overheating Ð 2.4L Engine Only
(If Equipped)........................337
mJacking And Tire Changing................338
NPreparations For Jacking................338
NJack Location........................339
NSpare Tire Stowage....................339
NJacking Instructions....................340mJump-Starting Procedures.................344
mFreeing A Stuck Vehicle..................348
mTowing A Disabled Vehicle................349
NWithout The Ignition Key...............349
NTowing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
(Flat Towing With All Four Wheels On The
Ground)............................349
NTowing This Vehicle Behind Another Vehicle
With A Tow Dolly.....................350
6

HAZARD WARNING FLASHER
The Hazard Flasher switch is located in the Instrument
Panel Switch Bank above the climate controls.
Push and release the switch to turn on the Hazard
Warning Flashers. When the Hazard Warning is
activated, all directional turn signals will flash on
and off to warn oncoming traffic of an emergency. Push
and release the switch a second time to turn off the
flashers.
This is an emergency warning system and it should not
be used when the vehicle is in motion. Use it when your
vehicle is disabled and it is creating a safety hazard for
other motorists.
When you must leave the vehicle to seek assistance, the
Hazard Warning Flashers will continue to operate even
though the ignition switch is in the LOCK position.NOTE:With extended use, the Hazard Warning Flash-
ers may wear down your battery.
IF YOUR ENGINE OVERHEATS
In any of the following situations, you can reduce the
potential for overheating by taking the appropriate ac-
tion.
²On the highways Ð Slow down.
²In city traffic Ð While stopped, put transaxle in
neutral, but do not increase engine idle speed.
NOTE:There are steps that you can take to slow down
an impending overheat condition. If your air conditioner
is on, turn it off. The air conditioning system adds heat to
the engine cooling system and turning off the A/C
removes this heat. You can also turn the Temperature
control to maximum heat, the Mode control to floor, and
336 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES

the fan control to High. This allows the heater core to act
as a supplement to the radiator and aids in removing heat
from the engine cooling system.
CAUTION!
Driving with a hot cooling system could damage
your vehicle. If the pointer rises to the H (red) mark,
the instrument cluster will sound a chime. Pull over
and stop the vehicle with the engine at idle, when
safe. Turn off the air conditioning and wait until the
pointer drops back into the normal range. If the
pointer remains on the H (red) mark for more than a
minute, turn the engine off immediately and call for
service.
WARNING!
A hot engine cooling system is dangerous. You or
others could be badly burned by steam or boiling
coolant. You may want to call a service center if your
vehicle overheats. If you decide to look under the
hood yourself, refer to Section 7, Maintenance, of this
manual. Follow the warnings under the Cooling
System Pressure Cap paragraph.
Engine Oil Overheating Ð 2.4L Engine Only (If
Equipped)
During sustained high-speed driving or trailer tow up
long grades on hot day, the engine oil temperature may
become too hot. If this happens, the ªHOTOILº message
flashes, the vehicle speed will be reduced to 53 mph (85
km/h) until the engine oil temperature is reduced.
NOTE:Engine speed is reduced to 53 mph (85 km/h) at
the maximum. You may of course, reduce your speed
further if needed.
WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES 337
6

JACKING AND TIRE CHANGING
WARNING!
²Do not attempt to change a tire on the side of the
vehicle close to moving traffic. Pull far enough off
the road to avoid the danger of being hit when
operating the jack or changing the wheel.
²Getting under a jacked-up vehicle is dangerous.
The vehicle could slip off the jack and fall on you.
You could be crushed. Never get any part of your
body under a vehicle that is on a jack. Never start
or run the engine while the vehicle is on a jack. If
you need to get under a raised vehicle, take it to a
service center where it can be raised on a lift.
²The jack is designed to use as a tool for changing
tires only. The jack should not be used to lift the
vehicle for service purposes. The vehicle should be
jacked on a firm level surface only. Avoid ice or
slippery areas.
Preparations For Jacking
1. Park the vehicle on a firm level surface as far from the
edge of the roadway as possible. Avoid icy or slippery
areas.
2.Set the parking brakeand place the gear selector in
PARK (automatic transaxle) or REVERSE (manual trans-
axle).
3. Turn the ignition switch to the LOCK position.
4. Turn on the Hazard Warning Flasher.
5. Passengers should not remain in the vehicle when the
vehicle is being jacked.
338 WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES